Passport office at Chaeng Wattana to reopen

May 27, 2014 3:31 pm

The Foreign Ministry's Consular Affairs Department will resume full services next week, including the issuance of passports.

The department suspended its operations late last year after anti-government protesters staged mass rallies in Bangkok and a group of demonstrators occupied an area near the department on Chaeng Wattana Road.

The suspension was implemented as the department housed the online database servers for passport issuance, which could possibly be affected if the protests turned violent.

During the protests, issuance of passports was transferred to the department's branches around Bangkok and other provinces. However, these offices were unable to respond to the influx of people applying for or renewing passports resulting in long lines. Some applicants reportedly started queuing at the branches around 3am so as to be first in line.

From today until May 30, people can apply for passports at the department's branch at Bang Na, Pinklao and inside the Government Complex.